I have the honor to submit
the following report of the operations of the road, from the 1st of
June, 1864, to the 31st of March, 1866. The road continued in regular
running operation during the war, up to the last of March, 1865, with
no interruption from military operations, except from the passage of
the command of General Rousseau across its line at Talladega, in July,
1864. No very considerable damage was sustained by that movement, the
whole loss consisting of the destruction of the depot and two cars at
Talladega, and a slight injury to the track. The running of trains was
suspended for a few days only on the the upper portion of the road. On
the 29th of March, 1865, General Wilson's command advancing from north
Alabama reached the road at Montevallo and Limekilns. On his approach
and advance along the line of the road, the rolling stock was all
withdrawn from the road and concentrated at Selma. On the 1st of
April, it became evident that the city would be captured, and measures
were immediately taken to remove the property of the road to a
place of safety. On the morning of the 2d of April, after all of the
trains were gone, except one which had been reserved for the removal
of the tools and machinery of the shops, a requisition was made by the
military for a train to bring in some government property from
Burnsville. The attempt to accomplish this object deprived us of
the only means of saving the tools, which had to be abandoned to their
fate, the train having returned to Selma, only in time to escape
before the attack on the city commenced. All the other valuable
movables of the company, with such portions of the rolling stock as
were in running order, were taken out on the Selma & Meridian
railroad, and kept safe until the cessation of hostilities. All that
was left in Selma was committed to the flames by General Wilson.

After the evacuation of the
city, the situation was as follows: In Selma the depot, shops, with
the tools and machinery, foundry, engine-house, and storehouse were in
ruins. The track was damaged, and covered with the wrecks of burn
locomotives and cars which had been left in a disabled condition
on the day of the capture. All of the truss bridges and
station-houses, and several of the water tanks south of Shelby
Springs, were burnt. About one mile of the track was rendered unserviceable
by the burning of the cross-ties and bending of the iron.
North of Talladega the three bridges and all the station-houses were
destroyed by General Croxton's command. The rolling stock which had
been saved was cut off from the road by the destruction of two bridges
on the Selma & Meridian road, and consequently could not be made
available in the work of reconstruction. The laboring force of the
company had been kept together as well as circumstances permitted, but
was in great part scattered and demoralized. Throughout the country
disorganization, and a general scarcity of provisions, and of all
appliances and means for carrying on work, prevailed. There was no
money in the treasury, and no means of procuring any. A small stick of
provisions which was obtained from the confederate stores, the
generous aid of the few friends of the road who were in a
condition to render it, and the4 credit of the company, were the only
resources that could be made available for putting the road in working
order. *****

***** An engine and a few
cars which had escaped destruction on the Shelby Iron Company's road
were brought into service for a short time, but being controlled by
General Hill with a military force, this train was kept at the upper
end of the road, when General Croxton's command passed along the road,
and was there captured and destroyed. A small train, in very
inefficient condition, was then procured from the South & North
railroad, and by its aid the work was carried on. *****

The earnings from 1st of
June, 1864, to the 31st of March, 1865, ten months, were as follows:

Earnings

from private passage

$361,399.95

private freight

413,751.25

express

40,000.00

rent of rolling stock

7,769.75

transient work in shops

26,178.90

Total earnings other
than from government business

$849,099.85

Earnings

from government passage

223,640.04

government freight

681,301.43

mails

10,082.50

915,023.97

Total earnings of ten
months

1,764,123,82

The expenses from June 1,
1864, to April 30, 1865, eleven months, were --

Expenses

of conducting transportation

$279,488.93

motive power

415,516.72

maintenance of way

261,594.55

maintenance of cars

93,877.55

transient work

15,380.36

Total expenses of
eleven months

1,065,858.11

Net earnings,
confederate currency

698,265.71

The expenses of the month of
April, 1865, during which the road was not in operation, were
$29,479.36.

If this be deducted from the
expenses, it will reduce the amount to $1,036,380.75, and increase the
net earnings, for the ten months of actual running, to $727,745.07.

*****

Engines

***** The Talladega, which
was ruined by a collision in 1864, has been broken up, and is not
counted.